Disposable applicator



Oct. 19, 1954 J. L. JONES DISPOSABLE APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 18, 1952 IN N TOR.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPOSABLE APPLICA'DOR John Leslie Jones, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 18, 1952, Serial No. 315,475

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a new and useful device for applying compositions of matter to body cavities.

An object of this invention is to provide a compact sanitary disposable applicator for the treatment of body cavities with a stored viscous fluid medicament. Another object of this invention is to provide a sanitary inexpensive disposable applicator for the treatment of mammalian vagina with a composition of matter. Another object of this invention is to provide a short, easily carried, applicator for the treatment of body cavities with compositions of matter. Another object of this invention is to provide a compact, hygienic, disposable applicator for the treatment of a human vagina with a medicament. Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following description, to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Figure l. is an elevational view of my applicator embodying one form of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged end View of my applicator looking from the right hand side of Figure 1 to the left.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational sectional view thereof, taken through 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational sectional view of my invention in which the applicator is now prepared for insertion into a body cavity.

Referring to Figure 1, a rigid circular tubular form i of suitable uniform length and diameter is formed of thin wall paper stock. Coaxially located within tube i is a second thin wall circular rigid tubular plunger 2 of suitable length and whose external diameter is such as to form an easily telescoping pair. The end 5 of the plunger 2, extending a fingertip distance from tube 5, is pleatedly compressed to form a terminus easily grasped by fingertips of the user. A closure 3 for the applicator comprises a thin metal foil tape, coated with a pressure sensitive solvent resistant adhesive, which is applied in tightly, partially overlapped, turns wrapped circumferentially around the discharge end I!) of the applicator and the unsupported section of the foil tape is crimped together at the adhesive surfaces and twisted to form a non-raveling fluid tight closure. A paper tab t is amxed to the end of the foil tape to provide a means for easily detaching the tape.

The end view of the applicator in Figure 2 illustrates the multiple layers in the construction. The rigid circular tubular form I is tightly wrapped with one turn of a thin cellophane base pressure sensitive base adhesive tape 6. The cellophane tape 6 is wrapped with more than one turn of a thin metal foil tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive backing adhering to the exterior of the cellophane tape 6. A paper tab 4 is affixed to the end of the foil tape by attachment to the pressure sensitive adhesive backing, providing a tab 4 for the loosening and removal of the closure 3. The pleatedly compressed end 5 of the plunger 2 is shown in end view. Four pleats are shown and a plurality of pleats may be provided.

Referring to Figure 3, the rigid circular tubular form i is shown in telescoped relationship to the rigid circular tubular plunger 2, the crushable thin wall container "5 being concentrically located within and at one end of tube I. The terminal wall II of the container 1 is stretched and folded over the outside wall of the tube l and secured thereto by an overlapping turn of thin cellophane base pressure sensitive adhesive tape 6. The outside diameter of the container I is constructed to facilitate an easily slidable relationship between the container l, the open end 8 of tube 2 and the tube i. The closure 3 for discharge end it of the applicator is selected from the class of thin metal foil tapes having a pressure sensitive adhesive backing adhering to the exterior surface of the tape 6, adhesive being resistant to the action of the medicament 9.

Referring to Figure l, the applicator is shown prepared for insertion in a body cavity, the telescoping plunger 2 is shown in the inverted relationship with the tube I, the pleated compressed tip '5 being in proximity to the closed end of the container 1 and the end 8 of the tube 2 providing a handle for telescoping motion of tube 2 within tube i to discharge the medicament 9.

The term, fluid resistant erushable container is used to designate erushable containers made of thin, flexible materials resistant to the penetration of fluid compositions which are stored in the crushable containers, said fluid compositions being intended for use in the treatment of body cavities. Many of the fluid compositions contain water as an important component; there fore, the crushable containers for such compositions should be water resistant. Many of the fluid compositions contain other fluid organic materials as components; containers for such composition should be resistant to the penetration of such fluid organic components.

Examples of materials which may be used to form suitably shaped crushable, water-resistant containers are listed in Table I.

Table I Natural rubber Polyethylene resin Synthetic rubbers Butyl methacrylate resin Methyl acrylate resin P'olytrifluoromonochloroethylene resin Examples of materials which may be used to form suitably shaped crushable containers resistant to other fluid organic compositions of matter are listed as follows:.

Table II Neoprene rubber Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin Polyvinyl alcohol plasticized resin Polytrifiuoromonochloroethylene resin The design of a vaginal applicator is subject to certain physical size requirements. The volume of the crushable container is that required to hold the desired volume of medicament.

It is desirable to make a device for application of a single dose of a medicament to a body cavity. It is also desirable that the device be inexpensive in order to justify discarding the device after a single use. It is good hygienic practice to prepare such devices and load them with a desired medicament in a factory Where high sanitary standards can be rigidly maintained during large quantity production.

In the use of my invention the embodiment illustrated by Figure I is manufactured and loaded with a desired medicament at a factory, capped and sold in multiple units in a single retail package. For use, the inner telescoping tube 2 is grasped at the pleated compressed tip 5 and pulled out from the outer telescoping tube l. The tube 2 is then reversed in direction and inserted in the outer tube 1, the pleated compressed tip 5 being pushed adjacent to the closed end of the crushable container I, as illustrated in Figure 3. The foil-pressure sensitive adhesive closure 3 is torn from the discharge end N3 of the applicator by the tab 4. The opened applicator containing the medicament 9 is inserted to the desired depth in a body cavity utilizing the tube l and the end 8 of the tube 2 as handles. The medicament 9 is discharged into the body cavity by exerting a crushing action on the bag 1 by telescoping the tube 2 within tube I.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts hereby described and shown.

I claim:

1. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, a crushable hollow container located therein adjacent one end thereof, and a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located within and peripherally contiguous to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enclosing the crushable hollow container, a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member.

2. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, a crushable hollow container mounted within said tubular member and having a discharge end permanently secured to an end of said tubular member to prevent ejection of said container and .a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located within and peripherally contiguous to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enclosing the crushable hollow container, a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member.

3. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, a crushable container less in length than said tubular member and permanently secured within said tubular member with its discharge end directed outwardly at one extremity of said tubular member and a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located within and peripherally adjacent to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enveloping the crushable hollow container, a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member.

4. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, a crushable hollow container located therein adjacent one end thereof and a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located within and peripherally contiguous to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enclosing the crushable hollow container, a terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member engageable with said container to crush same. 1

5. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, a crushable hollow container mounted within said tubular member and having a discharge end permanently secured to an end of said tubular member to prevent ejection of said container and a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located Within and peripherally contiguous to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enclosing, the crushable hollow container, a terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member engageable with said container to crush same.

6. In a single use applicator comprising a rigid open ended tubular member of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material having a discharge end, a crushable container less in length than said tubular member and permanently secured within said tubular member and having a discharge end directed outwardly at the discharge end of said tubular member and a rigid tubular plunger: the rigid tubular plunger located within and peripherally adjacent to the rigid open ended tubular member, partially enveloping the crushable hollow container, a terminus protruding from the remote end of said tubular member engageable with said container to crush same.

'7. In a single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping elements each of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, and a cartridge filled with a mobile substance and positioned within the outer of said elements adjacent one end, the walls of said cartridge being crushable in response to axial force exerted by telescoping action of the inner of said elements: the inner telescoping element partially enveloping the said cartridge, a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the remote end of the outer .element.

8. .In a single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping elements each of uniform diameter formed of paper-like material, and a cartridge filled with a mobile substance and positioned within the outer of said elements adjacent one end, the walls of said cartridge being crushable in response to axial force exerted by telescoping action of the inner of said elements: the inner telescoping element partially enveloping the said cartridge, a terminus protruding from the remote end of said outer element engageable with said cartridge to crush same.

9. A closure for a container discharge end comprising: at least one overlapping turn of a pressure sensitive adhesively coated foil, partially supported by the discharge end of the container, the unsupported portion of the foil being compressively bonded together at the pressure sensitive adhesive coated face.

10. A single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping elements each of uniform diameter and formed of paper-like material, the outer element having a discharge end, and a preformed treatment dosage containing a medicament positioned within the outer of said elements adjacent the discharge end; the inner telescoping element enveloping the said treatment dosage, and a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the end of the outer element remote from the discharge end, engageable with said treatment dosage, to eject the medicament.

11. A single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping elements, formed of a paper-like material, the outer element having a discharge end, and a single treatment dosage containing a medicament positioned within the pair of said elements adjacent the outer element discharge end; the inner telescoping element being substantially contiguous to the single treat-v ment dosage, and a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the end of the outer element remote from the discharge end, engageable with said treatment dosage, to eject the medicament.

12. A single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping tubular elements of paper-like material, the outer tubular element having a discharge end and a cartridge filled With a mobile substance positioned within the outer of said elements adjacent the discharge end; the inner telescoping element partially enveloping the said cartridge and a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the end of the outer tubular element remote from the discharge end, engageable with said cartridge, to eject the mobile substance.

13. A single use applicator comprising a pair of freely slidable telescoping tubular elements of paper-like material, the outer tubular element having a discharge end, and a crushable container filled with a mobile substance positioned Within the said pair of telescoping elements adjacent the discharge end of the outer element; the inner telescoping element substantially contiguous to the crushable container and a pleated compressed terminus protruding from the end of the outer telescoping element remote from the discharge end, engageable with said crushable container, to crush same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,413,480 Winter Dec. 31, 1946 2,590,138 Willis Mar. 25, 1952 2,616,422 Jones Nov. 4, 1952 

